As I woke up on November 25th, I didn't really think of it being Thanksgiving. I was in my own house and no one else was up. I wasn't going to visit any relatives; I was going to spend it in the comfort of my own home. For me relatives didn't even matter. My family not being awake didn't matter. What mattered was that I really didn't get to deal with the things I am truly thankful for. I am really thankful for my home life, don't get me wrong. It's just not top on my list. But I do have three things I am really thankful for.
The first one is my other family. My school family. I have the best friends in the world and I like all of my classmates. If I go through all of the 7th and 8th graders, I don't have any true enemies. This is the first year I seem to be okay with everyone. I don't have to worry about someone belittling me. A lot has changed from last year. I had a lot of pressure put on me. Most of it was just in my head. When I went into 8th grade I became more confident. I made friends that truly cared. They can put a smile on my face when I am sad. They make me take risks that become to be the highlight of my day -- more like the highlight of my week. They are the ones that I can talk to about anything. I can't imagine living without them. Thanks to my two best friends Shelby and Haley.
Now at my young age being thankful for this may seem way over my head. I'm thankful for that one person who cares. Yes, the one I have written four articles about. He knows I care, and I know he cares. On Thanksgiving I was thankful for my first boyfriend. We had been going out for six days on the 25th. Our anniversary was the 19th, the day I will never forget. Things weren't perfect when he asked me out. They sure were interesting with my two best friends right there after school when it happened. Shelby even made him give me a hug because we were so nervous. Now that was perfect. But things won't be perfect in a few months. He will be in Idaho in January and I don't have that much time left. Now I just needed to be positive and take every day as a present. It was Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving that I had someone I knew that cared about me. I have had that my entire life, but now I felt amazing because this is something I have been waiting for an entire six years. And this feeling wasn't going to go away. Thank you Connor.
The last one should be obvious. It's what I'm doing right now. Writing. I have always loved writing, but this is the first time that I have been writing and kept up with it. Plus I don't just have the Whyville Times. I have my journals. On October 12th I started my first journal during my elective in school. I normally don't have that much work, so I brought a green notebook and started writing away. For the first few weeks I just wrote during my elective, but then it got so addicting that I wrote right before I went to bed along with my other time. Now I am in my second journal but I look back on my first one and I am so thankful. I went through so much in the six weeks I kept it. It had a good beginning, but it had an ending that was better than my dreams. And I will be able to read it anytime I want. Thanks for a place to write.
I see all of these things I am thankful for and the friends and boyfriend one are common. Most of them would include their parents, but I chose writing. Writing is like my parent but better. I know a lot of people might not think it's good that I think of my parents this way, but they just don't understand. They treat me like I'm still in elementary school. I love them a lot but they have to start treating me better. I have a life. My writing shows that. They don't read my writing because I would never let them. Writing I guess is my second set of parents. I can say whatever I want to them. Reading and reflecting gives me my own advice and all though this year I have been successful. This year has been the best year of my life. I better take it in. I just hope that next year I will still have these three things. I just might be in Idaho for Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving Whyville. And just to let you know, I am very thankful for you too.
-Misty
